


destinations

by amuk



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Humor, Introspection, Missing Scene, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 07:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amuk/pseuds/amuk
Summary: Shamir knew that one day, she’d leave Garreg Mach. She just didn’t know how hard Catherine was making that.
Relationships: Catherine/Shamir Nevrand
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	destinations

**Author's Note:**

> For the FE Lovable bonds zine, I wanted to do some for the definitely canonly married Cathmir.

Catherine was objectively handsome. Shamir had to admit as much, if not aloud, then to herself. There was something about her strong jaw and large build, the constant laugh lines around her eyes that indicated a life of mirth. Even when she talked, her lips were always drawn to a smile, as though laughter was just waiting around the corner. However, she was never more handsome than when she was fighting, determined eyes glaring at her foe, her muscles tense as she prepared to strike.

Shamir was quite fortunate then that they were sparring partners. It gave her an excuse to look (not _stare_ , not _oogle,_ just look) without anyone the wiser. Not that anyone was around to witness it anyways; the training grounds were vacant this early in the morning. Pulling out one of her daggers, she flicked it in Catherine’s direction, aiming for her eye.

Grunting, Catherine whirled around, her sword blocking the dagger. It bounced off the larger metal harmlessly. “Ha,” she sneered, widening her stance. “That all you got?”

Even her voice was rougher when they fought and Shamir resisted the urge to shiver. Instead, she tossed another two daggers as she rushed forward. Catherine parried them with ease. That was exactly what she’d hoped for. With that small distraction, there was an even smaller opening. Slipping behind her partner, Shamir laid her knife flat on her throat. “Yield?”

“Are you kidding me?” Catherine groaned, her shoulders slumping as she relaxed her grip on her sword. Her long hair tickled Shamir’s throat and perhaps it would be better if she’d just cut it short, removing any disadvantage. “Ugh, fine. Your win.”

Shamir smirked, releasing her grip and pulling away. “What happened to all that confidence?”

“Don’t brag.” Catherine rolled her eyes as she rubbed her neck. “Besides, we’re just tied again.”

“No, I have one more than you now,” Shamir corrected. They’d stopped long ago keeping track of the exact number. It was easier to just keep track of the differences between their victories. The number was usually one or zero.

“Then I’ll just have to tie again next time.” Catherine sheathed her sword. “How’d you get behind me anyways? I swear to Sothis, sometimes it’s like you teleport.”

“Nothing that fancy.” Shamir shrugged, putting away her daggers. She walked over to a side in the training arena, picking up the ones that Catherine had managed to bat away. Luckily, they didn’t look too damaged; a little sharpening and they’d be good to use again. “Just a feint and some speed. You’re just really slow.”

“Again with the insults. Is that all your mouth’s good for?” Catherine frowned, though her exasperation sounded more fond than irritated. Running a hand through her hair, she plopped on the ground. “Another bout in five?”

“Sure.” Shamir frowned as Catherine sprawled flat on the dirt floor. There was no telling how many boots had crossed this space and just what tracked in with them. “You know how filthy it is down there, right?”

Catherine shrugged carelessly. “That’s what baths are for.”

“And that’s a good reason?” Shamir shook her head, resting a hand on her hip as she stared down at her partner. “At least move to the stone steps, they’re marginally cleaner.”

Catherine guffawed. Her laughter was always a rough thing, solid enough to be a character on its own. “It’s not that bad.” When Shamir gave her a look, she added, “I’m covered in sweat and grime anyways, this isn’t going to make that much of a difference.”

“Uh-huh,” Shamir replied dryly.

“Just give it a rest, I’m tired.” Catherine closed her eyes. “Hey, how long are you planning to stay?”

“Hmm?” Shamir cocked her head, though her questioning expression was wasted on Catherine. The knight still had her eyes closed. “What do you mean?”

“You’re always travelling, aren’t you?” Catherine brushed back her sweaty bangs. “You’re not even here for Lady Rhea, right? Once you’ve repaid your favour, you’ll leave.”

“Ah.” Shamir wondered if there was a plaintive tone in Catherine’s voice or if she was just imagining it. If it was the latter, she didn’t want to think about what it meant. “Well, like you said, once I’ve repaid Rhea, I’ll probably move on.”

“ _Lady_ Rhea,” Catherine corrected. She opened her eyes now, her gaze as direct as her candid words. “So you don’t know how long you’ll be here?”

“Well, she did save my life, so the debt is a little hard to pay back.” Shamir bit her cheek as she crouched on the ground next to Catherine. It was too awkward to keep standing while they talked. “It’ll take a while.”

Catherine didn’t say anything, though the corners of her lips turned up. She really only had two modes, happy or angry. Shamir rested her cheek on a hand, observing her partner’s face. When she’d first came here, she hadn’t expected to like working with others. If she were honest, she still didn’t. It was just comfortable fighting alongside Catherine; the dedicated knight was somehow attuned to Shamir and knew when to aid and when to back off.

“Where do you think you’ll go next?” Catherine asked, closing her eyes once more. “I don’t think there’s much left for you to explore.”

“There’s still places I haven’t gone.” Shamir shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “But I’m not a traveller, it doesn’t really matter too much if I’ve been there before. I go where my work takes me.”

Catherine snorted. Perhaps it was a good thing she wasn’t a noble anymore; there wasn’t an ounce of lady-like class in her at all. “Sure, that explains why you keep travelling further and further from Dagda.”

“That’s because I don’t want to go back to Dagda. Not yet, at least,” Shamir countered tensely. Despite the time, despite the distance, her homeland was still a sore subject. She wondered how long it’d take before she could think of it fondly.

“Fine, if you had a choice, where would you work next?” Catherine conceded, changing her question.

Deciding to humour her, Shamir tapped her cheek. It wasn’t a question she had put much thought to before. “Hmm…well, I haven’t gone to Almyra yet…”

“Almyra?” Catherine looked at her, incredulous. “You’d have to go through the locket.”

“Yeah, why not?” Shamir smiled slyly. No border was ever truly secure; her time as a mercenary had thought her as such. “There’s always a way across if you want to.”

“Knowing you, there probably is.” Catherine’s brow knit as she considered it. “Still…that’s far.”

Shamir wondered how deeply she should read into those words—how much would Catherine miss her? What did she want the answer to be? While she was a firm believer that one should always know themselves, she wasn’t inclined to probe too far into her own feelings. It was enough to know that she was attracted without knowing the extent of it.

The next words that popped out of her mouth surprised her. “Well, I might not go to Almyra. Maybe I’ll stay here.”

What surprised Shamir more was that she meant it.

“You?” Catherine shot her a wry smile. “You hardly tolerate being here now.”

“That’s true.” Shamir looked away, done with the conversation. She’d said too much as it was. Maybe if she stayed here long enough, she’d get whatever this was out of her system. This moron would die for Rhea and she didn’t need another hopeless case on her hands. “Well, either way that’s a long time away.” Getting up, she stretched her arms above her. “Ready?”

Catherine stared at her thoughtfully before nodding and getting up. “Sure. It’ll be my victory.”

Shamir smirked. “We’ll see about that.”


End file.
